Runner Ramblings

Massachusetts – State #50

Posted on May 25, 2023 by Joanne

It is with wildly varying emotions that I put pen to paper to write one more running blog. We are at the end of a journey envisioned and committed to 20 long years ago. The ride has been chock-full of incredible adventures, epic travel highs and lows, geography and history lessons galore, and priceless moments spent together. As I reflect on where it started, I am awed and humbled that life has allowed us to achieve this dream, despite the myriad challenges that have come our way.

It all started in Lake Tahoe on October 3, 2003. Melodie, Trish and I signed up for the Lake Tahoe Half Marathon and Kathy accompanied us as chauffeur and cheering squad. We were the greenest of rookies when it came to half marathon racing. We chose this course as it looked interesting and beautiful, not really having a clue what it meant to run straight uphill for miles at an elevation exceeding 7,000 ft. But we did it, and although it took every ounce of ability we had, we were hooked. The 50 states journey was born.

The planning for the 50th state race had been in the works for several years. We first signed up for the Steel Rail Half Marathon in May 2020, and you know what happened that year. We kept pushing this race forward as we felt it would be a special race, and eventually it ended in the prime spot: #50. In Oct 2022, we sent out an invitation to everyone that had ever traveled with us to join for the finale. Amazingly enough, despite the expense, long travel days, and large group logistics, we had 11 people raise their hands! I started digging and found a large, beautiful AirBnB on the shores of Lake Pontoosuc in Pittsfield, MA that would accommodate a group of 11 and the planning was on.

Despite numerous options, everyone decided to fly into Boston and make the 142-mile trek across the state to Pittsfield, MA where the race would be held. The crew represented 5 different states: Arizona – Linda, Colleen, Kathy, me; California – Melodie, Erika; Washington – Laurie, Trish; Nevada – Janille, Kayli; and Utah – Chandra. With 11 people in the air on 5 different flight schedules, we figured the chance that someone would be delayed or miss a connection was high, so we had both a Plan B and a Plan C in our back pocket.

East coast flights typically require a very early wake-up call, and this one was no different. As we sent text messages to each other in the wee hours, we were gratified to learn that all flights were leaving on schedule. The AZ and NV crew had a slight delay in Chicago, but we were still easily able to make our connection. Only caveat, there wasn’t enough time to grab a bite to eat, but we survived.

The Arizona crew met Janille and Kayli in Chicago and from there headed to Boston. Erika and Melodie connected in Detroit, Chandra in SLC, and Laurie and Trish had a nonstop from WA. All of us managed to show up in Boston within an hour of each other so the first major travel hurdle was accomplished without too much fuss. The biggest challenge ended up being finding each other in the sprawling Logan airport with multiple terminals. We had rented two vehicles to accommodate the group, so at this point we split up. Erika, Melodie, Linda, Colleen and Kathy rented a car, and the rest of the group were in a van. Erika and Laurie were our capable chauffeurs for the entire weekend and their expertise in navigating heavy traffic was greatly appreciated.

As expected, the going was slow on the MA freeways, so the van crew decided to stop and eat about an hour outside of Pittsfield. We located an Olive Garden which we figured was a safe bet, but the service and food were somewhat disappointing. The other group found a place to eat in Concord called Helen’s and had a much more pleasant dining experience.

It was 9:30 pm by the time we pulled up to our AirBnB in Pittsfield. The house was very much as billed; spacious, accommodating, beautiful location, with every amenity a traveler could want, including a heated outdoor swimming pool. With 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and a huge living area, there was definitely room in the inn.

The location was idyllic. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful spot to spend the next few days.

Erika and Janille graciously made the grocery store run so we were set with cream for our coffee, and food for breakfasts. Our beds were looking pretty inviting by this point in the day; 16 hr travel days can take a toll on even young bodies, much less the older ones.

Next morning, we hung out and visited for a bit. It was a fun crew and conversation was lively. The vote was to eat breakfast out rather than in, so off we went to a local spot. When you have 11 people on board, eating takes a lot of your time.

The chosen activity for our sight-seeing day was touring the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, a little town about 20 minutes away. The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of original Rockwell art. It also hosts traveling exhibitions pertaining to American illustration.

A painter who is cherished to this day for his compelling portrayal of American culture, Norman Rockwell was a keen observer of his world and its issues. His illustrations didn’t just reflect the contemporary state of America, they also invoked change in society. In many of his paintings, he promotes personal responsibility, patriotism, heroism, gender equity and racial integration which he saw as the foundations of the American way. We thoroughly enjoyed the couple hours we spent here, coming away with a renewed appreciation for the depth and breadth of his work. Although art critics have not always been kind to Norman Rockwell, his paintings are widely celebrated for the visual impact they have on people to this day.

After touring the museum, we wandered around the scenic 36-acre campus for a bit. When Rockwell moved to Stockbridge in 1953, he was at the pinnacle of his career. It was here, in his meticulously renovated 1830’s carriage barn studio that he created some of his most enduring works – from neighborly gatherings of small-town American to vivid scenes of national social change. The building was originally located in the backyard of his home on South Street in Stockbridge, Mass. In 1976, toward the end of his life, Rockwell left the studio and its contents to Norman Rockwell Museum. The building was cut in two and moved to the Museum’s grounds in 1986.

Another historical building on the grounds is Linwood House, built in 1859 by a prestigious New York attorney, Charles Butler. The original structure remains on the grounds today but houses the museum’s administrative offices and is not open to the public.

We were intrigued by the age of the trees and the flowering lilacs. The campus has been beautifully maintained.

Next stop was packet pickup in downtown Pittsfield. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the overall organization and attention to detail by the race organizers. More than half of us didn’t show up on their registration lists and they ran out of bibs, so a lot of last-minute scrambling took place. When you register 6 months prior to a race, you expect your name to show up, but stuff like this happens, particularly with small town races that don’t hire outside help. Frustrating, but not earth-shattering stuff.

I haven’t said a lot about the weather to this point, which in and of itself is somewhat shocking. We had done our typical weather watching and knew that rain was in the forecast for Saturday afternoon and evening. And the weatherman was right. As we left the shopping center, the skies opened and by the time we arrived at the AirBnB, it was pouring in earnest. Our only consolation was that predictions for race day were much drier, and temps reasonable. So we remained hopeful as we slogged our way into the house.

We had a few rainy hours to fill before our dinner reservation at Zucchini’s at 6:30 pm, so we entertained ourselves by playing games. The chosen game was Headbands; someone selects a category and holds the phone to their forehead. The phone shows the word that needs to be guessed and everyone shouts out clues. If the person holding the phone is able to guess before the phone times out, they tip it down, get a new word, and so on, until they time out. Some were very good at this game, and others not so much. Perhaps the most classic moment was when Linda thought she had selected the category of fruit, only somehow inadvertently selected vehicles instead. Trying to get someone to say truck when they think the category is fruit does not work very well. But the entertainment value was off the charts!

Because of the large size of our group, I had made reservations for two of our main meals. That evening we had a reservation at Zucchini’s; an Italian, family-run restaurant, close to our AirBnB, recommended by our hosts with a 5-star rating. An extra treat for the evening was that Izzy and Lacey would be joining us! They traveled 142 miles to hang out with us for a couple hours so we were feeling pretty special, although I suspect Kathy was the main draw. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was so packed you could barely squeeze through the doors. That is always a good sign and made us very grateful we had a reservation. We were seated in about 20 minutes and enjoyed a delightful meal together.

And it was back to the AirBnB to get prepared for race day. Half marathoners started at 8:00 am, and 8Kers at 8:30 am. Colleen had somehow managed to stub her toe on her bedframe and it appeared broken. Very sadly, she decided that walking on it would be both problematic and painful, so she made the hard decision to sit this one out. Tough break for sure.

Race morning arrived with no rain and temps in the 50’s. We couldn’t have ordered better running weather. We ate our race breakfast, snapped a few pre-race photos, and headed out to the trail.

There was a bit of waffling whether jackets would be needed or not. In the end, most were ditched; some pre-race, and some during the race never to be seen again. Taking photos is as much a part of the race experience as the race itself, so as is typical, we amused ourselves with selfies, etc.

And once more, we were off. It was a picture-perfect morning for running. Overcast skies with temps in the 50’s, no rain and very little wind, a paved trail where city streets didn’t exist, and unending views of the Cheshire Reservoir, the Hoosic River, and the associated wetlands. The race organization may have been a bit subpar, but the course was a top 10.

There was a photographer on course that took pictures and offered them as part of the package. Unfortunately, she didn’t catch everyone, but the ones she captured tell the story.

My amazing oldest sister…78 and going strong.

One by one, we all headed over the finish line. Everyone did so well. Linda and Kathy finished first with the 8Kers. Chandra and Kayli were the front runners of the half marathon group, with Melodie following close behind with her 3rd best finish. The rest of us came over within the next 20 – 30 minutes, and the most amazing thing of all is that everyone was smiling!

As I looked up on that last mile and saw the finish line flag, I was flooded with countless memories of the 12th mile and crossing the finish line. That feeling when you know you are almost finished never changes. Exhilaration, complete and utter fatigue, but overwhelming gratitude for the moment. And this moment was particularly special; a little sadness that the journey was over, but thrilled that we were able to finish.

Timing meant we didn’t get many finish line pictures, but we managed a few.

The race organizers had set up a photo booth so we managed to get a few shots of the entire group. Special!!

And of course, I had to have one more running photo of me and my sis. State #50 in the bag! We have dozens of these photos, but it doesn’t make any of them any less special, and this one more than most. I could never have completed this journey without her constant encouragement and support, cheering me on every step of the way, through broken bones, illness, arthritis and knee surgery. She is the ace in my deck and always has been. The fact that we are 70 and 66 doesn’t mean a thing to her. You just dig in and get ‘er done.

And of course, while I am having an intense emotional moment, our loving daughters reminded us that we were posing in front of garbage cans!! Gotta love those girls :).

We didn’t stand around for long. Although the temps were mild, the wind was picking up and we didn’t want to get chilled. We headed back to the house to get started on the shower marathon in time for a 2:00 pm reservation at Proprietor’s Lodge. Even with 4 bathrooms, it takes a while to get 11 ladies through the showers.

Another tradition that has developed over the years is a post-race picture with all participants wearing their race shirts. We managed to pull this off with the iPhone expertise of Chandra and Erika; a much better experience than we had in Iowa!

Lunch was relaxed and delicious and our waitress was amazingly competent in serving 11 people. We really scored with our dining choices on this trip, and this one was enhanced by the lovely views.

After lunch, napping seemed to be the activity of choice. A few of us headed out for a walk, with the idea that stretching our legs might be a good thing after running 13.1 miles. The neighborhood was picturesque and beautiful, with the rich feeling of history you get from an area that was settled in 1752.

Later that evening, we went out for one last meal. We chose a pub in downtown Pittsburgh called Olde Forge Restaurant that didn’t require reservations and served appetizers and salads. After that, we stopped at a local grocery store for some ice cream, an indulgence that was thoroughly enjoyed by most.

Monday was another long travel day. We completed our checkout list and both cars were on the road by 10:00 am. Flight departure times were all over the map, but it would be a long travel day for everyone. The van crew had a little more time so we stopped at the Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary and walked a bit. The mosquitos ensured that our walk was a brief one, but it was a beautiful spot.

The first car dropped Kathy, Linda and Colleen off in plenty of time for their 2:35 pm return flight. The van headed into downtown Boston for gas and a quick look around, then dropped me off for a 4:05 pm flight. The rest of the group had flights staggered throughout the late afternoon, with the latest being at 7:00 pm. Traveling with this large group could have been disastrous, but we were amazed at how smoothly everything went. We certainly spent a lot of time eating, but that is not really anything different! Later that evening, one by one, we all chimed in that we had arrived safely at home and the trip was over.

At this point in time, I’m not sure what our next big audacious goal will be. But this I do know, we will come up with one. And it will involve traveling, exploring more of our beautiful world, exercising our bodies and minds, and making precious memories with the ones we love. Life is too short to do anything less.

Until next time. Run, walk, hike, live happy!

Posted in Running the 50 states | 2 Comments

Iowa – State #49

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Joanne

As mentioned in previous blogs, finding appropriate races had become something of a challenge as we neared the end of our running the states journey. We ended up with a 5-month gap between Arkansas, State #48, and Iowa, State #49. And to top that off, MA, State #50 was scheduled a short 3 weeks later! At this point, we were committed to doing whatever it takes to make things fit. It had been a long, unseasonably cold winter and April found us eager to travel again after the long pause.

Finding the right half marathon in Iowa was also a challenge, hence the reason it fell to State #49. We landed on a race in a small southeast Iowa town called Washington. The race promised strong local support, distance options and the opportunity to run on the scenic Kewash Nature Trail rather than city streets. We were hopeful that an end of April race date would ensure warmer weather, which did not turn out to be entirely true. We forgot to factor in that the Midwest is famous for strong, gusty winds, as we had already experienced in Missouri. As we started our weather monitoring week, we noted with some consternation that predictions included strong winds up to 20mph, plus cooler temps than normal.

Joining us for this race was the whole sister crew. Traveling with the 5 sisters always promised non-stop conversation, shared memories aplenty, and loads of laughter, so it was with anticipation that we crawled out of bed at 3:30 am on Thursday morning and headed to our respective airports. The plan was to meet up in Denver and take a connecting flight from there to Des Moines, Iowa.

At Denver, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and boarded our flight to Des Moines without incident. The most significant thing that happened here was that Colleen somehow left her jacket in the boarding area and by the time she realized it and asked a flight attendant to check, it was already gone. Temperatures were too cool to survive without a coat, so we knew we had shopping on our agenda at some point.

We picked up our rental car and headed out for the 114 mile drive to Washington, IA. The Midwest has a reputation for endless miles of rolling fields with not a whole lot else to see and we certainly found that to be the case. A quick search showed that Iowa produces one-fourteenth of the nation’s food supply and is the largest producer of corn, pork and eggs in the United States and second in soybeans and red meat production. A few farm homes dotted the landscape with the occasional warehouse, but other than that, this particular highway showcased fields, fields, and more fields.

We reached Washington, IA at 5:30 pm which was a nice change from our typical late evening arrival. Our home for the weekend was the Historic Ola Babcock Miller Retreat, former home to IA’s first female Secretary of State. The original family boasted numerous notable accomplishments including a run for governor, a state library named after one of them, and another who was named one of America’s 100 most influential people after founding Gallup Polling. The current owners had spent an entire year renovating the home, committed to retaining the original charm, craftsmanship and character of the 1916 home while sprinkling modern touches throughout. It was a lovely home and we felt fortunate to find lodging that accommodated our preference for both comfort and originality.

In doing research on the area in preparation for this trip, I ran across a local restaurant called Cafe Dodici that had won several TripAdvisor awards for excellence. Cafe Dodici, meaning 12 in Italian, was created by husband and wife team Lorraine Williams and Alessandro Scipioni, along with their niece, Tsalika Rich. They took an old crumbling building in downtown Washington and turned it into the warm and welcoming destination restaurant it is today. The international cuisine is influenced not only by their time living in Pesaro, but also by their travels all over the world. From the decor, menu and atmosphere, you would think it would be a pretentious restaurant, but it’s far from that. It’s international cuisine with a comfort food feel to the place. The quality and presentation of the food was exquisite. The owner was very visible and made an effort to greet and interact with all the diners in a very personal way. All in all, a delightful dining experience.

After dinner, we headed to the local Walmart to pick up groceries for race morning and to give Colleen a chance to find a jacket. Groceries were easy, the jacket not so much. Turns out, they were sold out of everything but an oversize men’s sweatshirt which Colleen decided was better than freezing and the $7 price tag was right. Some “interesting” clothing has been purchased through the years on these running trips as we attempted to match our clothing to the local weather. Some have been keepers, some not so much.

As we prepared for bed that evening, Melodie discovered that her Garmin was not in her backpack. After going through everything multiple times, she came to the unpleasant conclusion that she had either forgotten it at home, or lost it somewhere along the way. Running without a Garmin is akin to running without clothes; perhaps you could do it, but it sure wouldn’t be fun.

The weather was beautiful for Friday, our typical sight-seeing day. However, our research had shown not much in the area besides eating and shopping, so we prepared for a relaxed day with a little work thrown in. After putting in a couple hours work, we headed out for a late morning breakfast at a rather unexceptional little breakfast spot, probably the least inspiring meal we had the whole weekend. Washington was a very walkable town with everything within a couple mile radius, so we walked pretty much everywhere we went all weekend. The downtown area was mostly old buildings, with stories to tell behind all of them.

Melodie had located a sport store about 20 miles away in Coralville where she could purchase a replacement Garmin, so after breakfast we headed out for a drive. Again, the countryside was dotted with rolling fields, but somewhat greener and more interesting than the stretch between Des Moines and Washington. Schell’s was actually a very nice sports store and had we more room in our suitcases, some serious shopping would have occurred. Melodie found a very nice Garmin for a super reasonable price, so that was a win. Some of us entertained ourselves with a bit of modeling in lieu of purchasing.

On the way back to Washington, we stopped to visit a quaint little town called Kalona which we had read about in some of the travel literature. Kalona is a small town of 2,630 but boasts the largest Amish and Mennoite community west of the Mississippi. As we drove into town, we saw a horse and buggy wheeling around the streets and many of the little shops had an obvious Amish influence. I was looking specifically for an ice cream shop which I never found, but we did find a good spot to stop and eat lunch at the Kalona Brewing Company.

Next stop was the YMCA where we picked up our packets and got last minute race instructions. This race definitely had a small town flavor where everyone was super friendly and no one agonized too much over little details like shirt sizes or changing race distances.

Seems like a lot of this trip was consumed by finding places to eat and then actually eating, but that really isn’t anything too different. We wanted to get a third meal in but found everything closed at 8:00 pm which meant no one was super hungry when it was time to eat again. We checked out a local pizzeria which turned out to be absolutely delicious despite the hour wait time to get served. We found all the wait staff in these small local restaurants to be super friendly and the food was delicious, but nothing was done in a rush.

Race start the next morning was at 8:00 am and located a convenient 5-minute walk from our AirBnB. What that meant is we had a relaxed morning; in fact it was so relaxed we almost didn’t head out the door in time! The weather temps were as predicted in the mid-40’s, but so far, the wind had not shown up for which we were profoundly grateful. We hung out at the start line for about 15 minutes and snapped photos and stood in porta potty lines; typical race start stuff. (Note – Colleen’s Walmart special. Not too bad really, but I’m guessing it will hit Good Will when she gets home.)

And once again we were off. We had all the distance options covered: Melodie and yours truly running the half, Colleen the 10K, and Linda and Kathy the 5K. We ran a couple loops in town then headed out to the trail. At this point, temps were perfect with minimal wind. No jackets needed! The countryside was just starting to turn green with the promise of spring. We felt fortunate to be out there running once again and enjoying this beautiful world of ours.

As all runs do, this one had a couple of flies in the ointment. Around mile 5, the course turned uphill and at the same time the winds began to howl. The combination of the two made for some rough going. In addition, about 5 miles of this nature trail was on concrete sidewalk! Concrete is not a runner’s friend, but none of these things are showstoppers, so you just carry on!

Emotions ran high as we headed to the finish line. We are just a whisper away from completing a goal set 20 years ago that initially felt more like a pipe dream. A few tears were shed around mile 11, and then a few more at mile 12.5 when I was attacked with leg cramps! But we all finished and within the goals we had set for ourselves. Melodie has wings these days and completed her race with a top 3 finish and I came in about 10 minutes later, all to the cheers of our 3 sisters who had finished earlier. Kathy caught a few finish line pictures to document the event.

No running event is complete without the customary post-race photos. We have photo files full of these, but it doesn’t mean we don’t need more!

And it was back to our AirBnB for showers and a little down time. We selected a spot in Kalona for a post-race lunch that had caught our eye when we were there Friday, but when we arrived, we discovered there was a wait of 1.5 hours with no guarantee they could serve you before they closed at 2:00 pm. Saturday in Kalona was bustling everywhere we checked, so we opted for an alternative at a Mexican restaurant, which was ok, but certainly not the standard of the Tuscan Moon or Kalona Brewery. Apparently, a quilt show in town had brought in tourists by the busload. I was not successful once again in talking anyone into an ice cream cone, but we did stop by the quilt show and saw some pretty amazing quilts. 50% of these are contributed by the Amish and Mennonite communities in Iowa, and the rest come from quilters all over the world. Not being a quilter myself, I have never seen anything like it. Everything is done by hand and the detail, color, precision and designs are mind-boggling.

We headed back to Washington for a little R&R, another typical part of the post-race agenda. We knew we had one more meal for the day and everyone voted to return to Cafe Dodici. It did not disappoint! Some of the best food we’ve ever had on a running trip was found in a little farming town in southeastern Iowa. Who knew?

Another post-race tradition is a picture of all the participants in their race shirts. We typically do this at our lunch restaurant, but after we ended up wandering around town looking for a restaurant without lines, it slipped our minds. Hence, yours truly insisted everyone line up for the customary shot at our AirBnB that evening. Much hilarity ensued. First, none of us have our nieces’ technical ability with the iPhone timer, so despite numerous tries, we couldn’t get a picture that met even the lowest of standards. I then herded everyone into the sitting room and demanded we keep trying with some seated shots and different lighting. We did eventually get a few pictures that met the minimum bar, but the process was painful, and some sisters were rebelling by the time we finished! We won’t name names. You know who you are. But hey – without a little effort, good things do not happen.

And so another trip wound to a close. We were up early the next morning to complete our check out list and hit the road by 9:00 am for another two-hour drive to the Des Moines Airport. Worthy of note, the wind was blowing so hard that you could feel the car sway as we drove down the highway. We stopped at a gas station to fill up outside of Des Moines, and the biting, cold wind made us all profoundly grateful that the prior day had been so much warmer and calmer.

Melodie’s flight was earlier by several hours than the AZ contingent, so we dropped her off first. We contemplated driving around town a bit, but the howling, cold wind convinced us to stay put in the airport. No trip is complete without a little airport drama which we managed to get. Our flight was delayed by 45 minutes which put our Denver connection at significant risk. The pilot did his best to make up the time and we hit Denver with 20 minutes to deplane, run down the long Denver concourse, and get in the boarding lines for the flight to AZ. Sheesh. A picture of those 4 69+ women, running pell-mell down the concourse, pushing roller bags and breathing heavily would have been entertaining. After all, we did come on this trip to run. However, I was too busy running to think about pictures! And in the end, we made it which is what matters.

I always like to think of the things that define any particular running trip. A number of things come to mind for Iowa: forgotten items, some of the best food we’ve ever had, a delightful AirBnB, and just a genuinely good time being together. Hard to believe there is only one more, and this one will be very different. East coast travel with all that entails, a crew of 11 people to celebrate the finale, and one of the most beautiful trails in the Berkshires to run. But all of it is good, and every moment is one to savor; the good, the tough, the indifferent, and the sublime. We are blessed.

See you again in just 2.5 short weeks for the finale! Pittsfield, MA, State #50!

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged beautiful scenery, family, Fifty States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

Arkansas – State #48

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Joanne

Six weeks after we completed New Jersey, we began preparing for our 6th and final state run of 2022 in Cotter, Arkansas. What a year it had been! We were not certain at the outset if planning 6 races in one year would be smart, but we were on a roll with the finish line in sight. We first scheduled White River Half in 2020, but COVID stole the show that year, and the following year I had knee surgery, so 2022 was finally the year we could get it done.

Selecting a race in Arkansas had not been without challenges. Arkansas abounds with hardcore ultras, but there are very few half marathons that meet our criteria. We chose White River Marathon for Kenya as a race that supports a worthy cause; in addition, the course is advertised as fast and flat and we thought the weather would be temperate! WRM has raised tens of thousands of dollars over the last 14 years for the village of Katito, Kenya, providing potable water wells, clothing and a host of other necessities, plus mother and child services working in conjunction with World Vision. In addition, WRM partners with Eco Sneakers to reuse, renew, and recycle running shoes. All of this is even more impressive when you consider that Cotter has a population of 970 with an average yearly income of $29,423. The race is very well supported by the local people of Cotter and the surrounding towns of Gassville and Mountain Home. It turned out to be one of the most organized races we have done.

Travel to Cotter, Arkansas wasn’t simple. The crew for this race was Melodie, Laurie and me. I had it easy, but both Laurie and Melodie had to fly into Phoenix first, then fly Allegiant out of Mesa the next morning, which added days to their travel. However, flying was not what was on our minds as we headed to the airport Thursday morning. Weather predictions for the weekend had steadily dropped over the last couple weeks and we were looking at temperatures 20 degrees colder than normal! Even for seasoned travelers and runners, this is not a happy state of affairs and caused us to cram our suitcases full of warm clothes.

The flight was relatively short, but once we arrived at the Springfield-Branson Airport, we had another 124 miles to go. The drive through the Missouri and Arkansas countryside showcased the fact that winter had indeed arrived. Most of the drive was in Missouri as Cotter is very close to the border.

We stopped in a little town called Winfield to grab a bite to eat. Despite its less than prepossessing appearance, Wingo’s Cafe provided a delicious lunch, much to our surprise. We found this to be the case throughout the little towns of northcentral Arkansas. Food was both inexpensive and tasty.

While searching for lodging for this trip, I discovered that Cotter’s claim to fame is White River fishing, reportedly some of the best trout and bass fishing in the country. What that meant is that fishing lodges abound, but there are very few AirBnB’s in the nearby area. We decided to stay in a hotel instead and reserved a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Mountain Home which was about 12 miles away from the race start. The room was cozy, but sufficient, once we figured out how to operate the heat so we didn’t either freeze or cook.

The temperature ruled much of our conversation throughout this trip. As we chatted about what to do for our sightseeing day, we were not hopeful of finding anything interesting enough to stand out in the bitter cold for hours. However, a website search pulled up a local attraction called Bull Shoals Caverns and Mountain Home Village 1890, a historic re-creation of an Ozark settlement. The Caverns boasted a steady temperature of 59, which at this point sounded positively balmy. Satisfied we had a plan for the next day, we grabbed dinner and settled in for the night.

Gotta Love the Cups at Jamie’s Local Flavor Restaurant

As anyone who enjoys good coffee knows, hotel coffee doesn’t make the cut. Although Holiday Inn works hard to provide coffee and breakfast for their customers, we headed out in search of different fare. We found a charming little coffee shop called Cove Coffee and got our day started.

We returned to the hotel and worked for a couple hours as the cave tours didn’t start until later in the day and we were hopeful that it might warm up a little.

We headed over to Bull Shoals around 11:00 am and bought our tickets for a personalized cave tour; there were just the 3 of us and one very talkative, hillbilly guide: a name he called himself. While we were waiting for the tour to start, we toured the village, determined to experience what we could despite frozen fingers and toes. The village is a tribute to the hardy men and women who followed the trails into the Ozarks from the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. Most of the buildings were original structures that had been disassembled and moved to Bull Shoals where they are now preserved and cared for by the local Chamber of Commerce.

The wind finally drove us inside the gift shop where we met our guide for the cave tour. He directed us outside once more where we grabbed a couple photos of the start.

The tour started with a steep downhill descent to the entrance of the cave. We actually appreciated the exercise both down and up as it warmed us up.

The tour was 45 minutes long and we enjoyed every minute for multiple reasons. The caves were fascinating and our guide did a great job describing cave formations and sharing the colorful history. It is hard to wrap your mind around the fact that these caverns are estimated to be 350,000,000 years old. Almost every known formation found in caverns throughout the United States can be found in Bull Shoals Caverns. The caves have served many purposes throughout the years; early settlers used the caves as a refrigerator, Confederate soldiers used the cavern for harvesting saltpeter, and in the middle 1900’s, moonshiners utilized the cavern as a hideout for their stills during prohibition. It was opened to the public in 1958.

Next stop on the agenda was a late lunch at the Cotter Bridge Market, and then over to packet pickup to pickup our swag and get instructions for race day. We attempted to drive the area in order to check out the race course, but the map was sketchy so we gave up and decided to trust the race monitors to show us the way.

We had one more meal to squeeze in that day, so dinner ended up being very late. Laurie’s job was to pick out the restaurants and she did an awesome job with Brick Oven Pizza. It was definitely my favorite meal of the trip, including some forbidden desert pizza.

Saturday morning dawned a couple degrees warmer than we expected at 23, so for that we were grateful. We wolfed down our race breakfast of yogurt, granola and berries at 6:00 am and headed over to Cotter for a 7:00 am race start. We were allowed to stay in the Cotter High School cafeteria for the minutes before race start, for which we were very grateful. Standing around in 23 degrees with a bitter wind is not anyone’s idea of fun!

And we were off. The amazing thing is that eventually I quit worrying about the cold, all the extra stuff I was hauling, and just embraced the moment. After the first mile or two, the cold wasn’t nearly as intense, at which point I was desperately wishing I had not put on so many layers! Thanks to Melodie and Laurie, we have race course pictures. My hands were both cold and full of stuff, so pulling my phone out to take pictures didn’t happen. It was without doubt a winter scene, but there was beauty to be found and much to be grateful for.

And as per our favorite quote, “It will start, and it will end.” Melodie came flying across the finish line first, then yours truly, and shortly after, Laurie. All of us exceeded our expectations and were so grateful to finish with a smile, standing tall, and not completely frozen. It was simply too cold to stand around and take pictures, so we grabbed one shot and headed to the shuttles for Cotter High School.

We hung around for the Awards Ceremony and to take a few “warm” pictures. Both Melodie and I placed first in our age groups and got called to the podium to accept an additional medal. The director handed me a mike and quizzed me about why we were there. I think that’s what happens when you are 70 and the ranks are pretty thin. It was a bit embarrassing for someone who does not like the spotlight, but on the other hand, special to share and have everyone be so supportive. Both Melodie and I reflected later that as we hit mile 12, emotions were running high. It’s hard to articulate what it means to be at this place, at this time, and almost finished.

It is always special to travel with my daughter. She had to miss New Jersey because of COVID, so we were very happy she decided to join us. I was afraid she got the raw end of the deal trading Clinton, New Jersey for Cotter, Arkansas, but she didn’t complain!

Here’s a threesome selfie to finish it off.

Someone among us was very hungry post-race, so we passed up the usual shower first agenda, and headed out for lunch. We found a sandwich spot called 9th Street Grill which served great food, but was housed in a drafty renovated cabin. The kind waitress moved us over in front of a heater, and the meal was saved.

A conversation with hotel management when we arrived had promised us use of the hot tub in the adjoining hotel which was co-owned by Holiday Inn. We took them up on their offer and spent the next delightful 30 minutes soaking our tired muscles and warming up our cold bones. It was worth the effort to cross the street in the blustering wind!

We had one more meal to squeeze in and decided to try a local Mexican restaurant which everyone raved about. It was packed with people and large groups so service was a bit slow, but the chips and salsa hit the spot!

Next morning we checked out of our hotel, and hit the road for the 124 mile drive back to Springfield-Branson Airport. It was an uneventful drive and we arrived at the airport in plenty of time to board the plane for Mesa. At Mesa, Scott picked us up and made a flying drive to drop Melodie off at Sky Harbor so she could get home early enough to prepare for a very busy week.

The bar was set pretty low for Arkansas, but I should never forget that these races always provide special moments. Hanging out with two of my best friends, pushing our limits, and learning something new always comes back roses, even if it is the week before Thanksgiving and the temperature is bitter cold. Every state leaves you with a special memory. For Arkansas, it was the friendly, kind, and helpful people. We received top notch customer service everywhere we went. People treated you like family. It was heartwarming. The world needs more kindness.

Next up, Washington, IA in April. We can see the finish line! Thanks to all who have come this far with us.

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged 50 States, beautiful scenery, family, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

New Jersey – State #47

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Joanne

After doing 4 half marathons in 5 months, we took a 2 1/2-month hiatus to focus on other parts of our lives. I spent some time in Washington enjoying my family and the beautiful Cascades, and Melodie filled her calendar with work, family and other travel, including an epic two-week trip through France. When October rolled around, we were ready to board the plane and take on our next state challenge.

New Jersey did not come without complications. Several years ago, we had selected a race called Rock the River Palisades in Fort Lee, NJ based on rave reviews from friends and websites. However, as the year rolled on, it became clear that this race was not going to happen, so we hit the drawing board to pick a new one. Because we had already done two beach runs in 2022, we wanted something a little different. Melodie found a little-advertised race called “Main Street Half Marathon of Hunterdon County” that looked intriguing. Details were scarce but what we could drum up assured us of a beautiful, albeit hilly course, with great local support. A fun crew of 6 signed up for this experience, but at the last minute Laurie called to share the disappointing news that she had tested positive for COVID and would not be able to travel. I was pretty bummed as traveling with my daughter is always special, but the train must roll on. And with Kathy, Melodie, Erika and Janille on board, I knew we would not lack for entertainment.

Travel-wise, we all managed to score semi-affordable, non-stop flights for the flight to Newark, NJ. After the Pennsylvania travel nightmare, we were ready for simpler logistics, even though it meant abandoning SW which is generally our airline of choice and going with United (Las Vegas), American (Phoenix) and Alaska (San Francisco). We all landed at Newark Airport between 4:00 – 4:30 on Friday afternoon to blue skies and a balmy temperature of 62 degrees.

Although we all landed within 30 minutes of each other, Janille’s plane got hung up on the tarmac for 90 minutes waiting for a plane headed to Panama to deplane and unload all their baggage. Such are the joys of travel! Newark is renown for being a challenging airport to navigate and we certainly found that to be the case. Our arrival gates placed us in three different terminals which meant we needed to decipher Newark’s confusing signage to get where we needed to be. We pride ourselves on being veteran travelers, nonetheless, and managed to figure out a meeting spot without too much hair pulling. From there, we headed over to the car rental counter to stand in a VERY long line. Thankfully, we had a reservation as they were very clear that without that, you were on foot. We picked up our van and headed out to the New Jersey turnpike.

Erika’s skills at driving vans and navigating congested freeways earned her the job of chauffeur for most of this trip. Thankfully, our drive to Lebanon, MA was not a long one and once we left the city, we moved along quickly. We decided to stop and eat before checking into our AirBnB as experience has taught us that small town USA rolls up their sidewalks early. Vintage Tavern provided us with an adequate, if not amazingly original, place to eat.

Next stop, our AirBnB! We never know what to expect with these AirBnB’s. You do the best you can with the information provided online, but there are always surprises: sometimes good, sometimes not so good. This one was decorated to the nines. There wasn’t an inch of space anywhere that didn’t have a pumpkin, Halloween ornament, or some other seasonal decoration to adorn the space. However, it was large and generally clean, as long as you didn’t open closet or cupboard doors.

In addition to a highly decorated indoor space, there were outdoor decorations that came to life every night to ensure that you did not forget the season.

Overall, it was a comfy space and had its own brand of charm. Once we removed the heavily-scented air fresheners so we could breathe, the house was really quite comfortable. Some of the beds were great, some not so great, but it was a place to stay close to the race with room for all of us. We were grateful to find it as lodging in this neck of the woods was hard to come by. Our host had cautioned us to keep the party noise down, particularly after 9:00 pm, but we managed to comply without too much suffering.

Our agenda for the next day was pretty simple. Get up, drink coffee, wander around the countryside, eat at regular intervals, drive the route, and pick up our packets. Armed with an interactive map provided by the race director, Erika and Melodie managed to figure out the course close enough that we could drive most of it. It had been challenging to get a decent elevation map for this race so we were anxious to see exactly what we would be facing. We knew there were hills in the middle, but maps never tell the whole story. Janille, Melodie and I were running the half marathon, and Erika and Kathy were doing the relay which required a handoff at the 5-mile mark.

The New England countryside was picturesque and charming, with glorious color abounding everywhere. Running with these views would be a treat.

After driving the route, we headed over to the historic district of downtown Clinton to pick up our race packets and wander the expo. The expo turned out to be mostly a vendor fair for local merchants, graced with music from Roulette the Band, and the Big Fuss, but the setting was idyllic.

Sitting right next to the starting line for tomorrow’s race was the iconic Red Mill Museum, one of New Jersey’s most photographed sites owing to its spectacular location on the South Branch of the Raritan River. The Red Mill, with its historic village, dates back to 1810 with the development of a mill for wool processing. It has served several roles through the years, including a wool processing plant, a peach basket factory and a textile mile. In 1960, the mill was purchased by the Red Mill Five, along with the adjoining Mulligan & Sons Quarry, and donated to the Clinton Historical Museum which opened in 1965. We were not able to tour the museum/village while we were there as it was closed for Halloween preparations. (This area takes Halloween seriously!)

And of course, just in case we didn’t have enough pictures of us, we had to grab one more on the bridge, sans the photographer.

One distinctly different thing on this trip is that we did not take copious pictures of restaurants and eating. I’m not sure if that means eating has assumed a lesser role in our lives, or we just plain forgot. In any case, I know we did eat and actually managed to get the required three meals in on pre-race day, despite the fact that Laurie was not there to ensure we stayed on track.

We had done a bit of weather watching on this trip as early temperatures looked cold. As predicted, race morning dawned clear and cold with a temp of 34 degrees. We scarfed down our typical race morning breakfast of granola, yogurt, bananas and berries and headed out the door at 7:00 am.

We were only 20 minutes away with a start time of 8:00 am, so we were pretty relaxed about everything except how many layers to wear. This particular race was so small they didn’t have a bag drop so you got to carry whatever you were wearing while you waited to start. In the end, the sun was shining so even though it was cold, we all opted to give our jackets to Kathy who would be driving the van to the relay transition point. From there, Erika would drive the van to the finish line, so our transportation needs were well taken care of.

And we were off. We’ve had so many moments like this they tend to run together, but that adrenaline rush when you realize once again you’ve signed up to run 13.1 miles never fails to show up. As we discovered the day before, the course was incredibly beautiful with unending views around every bend.

Erika managed to grab a couple of action shots of Melodie and me at the relay transition point. Melodie looks like she’s got the world by the tail at Mile 8, and me, well, I look serious. Just don’t get in my way.

And then for the sweetest part of all. The Finish.

It was the first half for Janille in over 3 years so particularly sweet for her. Erika and Kathy pulled off a successful relay despite constant hurdles to overcome just to get here. In addition, Erika hadn’t been able to travel and run with her mom in a states’ race since Niagara Falls in Sept 2016 so this was special for them. Melodie had her best race of 2022, and yours truly finished her first half at age 70 as the oldest woman in the race. Despite some stomach issues and concerns about the hills, everyone did so well. There was much to celebrate and we did!

And the whole crew.

There’s not much question about what happened next. We didn’t hang around too long despite the food and beer. Showers, stretching and dry clothes were our top priority. After relaxing for a bit, we headed out for some lunch. Taverns seemed to be the restaurant of choice in the area, so again we ate at a local tavern and Erika was able to watch a little Vikings football. After that, it was naptime all around.

Later that evening, we took a walk through the neighborhood. Hunterdon County seems to be comprised of small country towns, population around 2,200 or so, with lots of older homes, farms and rolling acres. From Lebanon, you have to drive at least 15 minutes to find a store, restaurant or gas station. We found the area charming, but a bit isolated if you like to be close to the amenities.

We did manage to squeeze in one more meal that evening, and it wasn’t even a tavern.

Monday was travel day. With a checkout time of 11:00 am and flights at 5:00 pm, we had some time to fill. We decided to drive a few extra miles and check out the Palisades Interstate Scenic Parkway, a 42-mile winding drive that starts at Bear Mountain Bridge and ends at the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, paralleling the Hudson River the whole way. Our first stop was at the State Lookout in the Palisades Interstate Park, a beautiful spot overlooking the Hudson River from the New Jersey side. The expansive views and updrafts created by the steep Palisades cliffs make this site ideal for raptors and raptor watching. Ever the history buffs, we took some time to read about the early settlers who settled the area and built the stone wall surrounding the rugged cliffs.

Our next stop was Fort Lee Historic Park, part of the Palisades Interstate Park, where we had more views of the Palisade bluffs, the Hudson River, and the George Washington Bridge.

And then it was time to head to the airport. Traffic is pretty intense on NJ’s freeways in the late afternoon, but between Erika’s driving and Melodie’s navigating, we managed to get to the airport in one piece and on time. Again, we were all in different terminals with different departure times, so Erika and Melodie dropped Kathy, Janille and me off at the curb where we said our goodbyes. Kathy and I breezed through security with literally no competition, but Janille sent us a text saying her security line was the longest she had ever seen! Thankfully, she had plenty of time so the hour slog through security didn’t make her late for her flight. Erika and Melodie also sent a text confirming the rental car had been returned, and despite a few challenges in their security line where TSA Pre-Check was not honored, they were also in the boarding area with time to spare.

Overall, despite a few hiccups and delays, travel was relatively smooth for a west to east coast trip. Everyone arrived home safely which is always the most important part.

Nostalgia has set in for me as the finish line comes into focus. In just a few short months, God willing and the creek don’t rise, we will reach a goal we set 19 years ago in Lake Tahoe on Oct 3, 2003. For many years, I honestly thought it was just a fun idea, something we would never have the time or resources to achieve, much less the ability. However, here we are and I am so grateful. Reaching our destination will be sweet, but even if that never happens, the journey has enriched my life beyond measure in every conceivable way.

So a special thanks to all who have been with us on the journey, and buckle up. We’ve only 3 to go!

Next up, Cotter, AR, State #48.

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged 50 States, beautiful scenery, Fifty States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

Pennsylvania – State #46

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Joanne

As mentioned in previous blogs, the calendar for 2022 was loaded with back-to-back races in an attempt to gain lost ground from the challenges of 2020 and 2021. 6 short weeks after our epic trail run in Chadron, Nebraska, we headed out for Conquer the Canyon Race Festival in small town Wellsboro, PA. We had put this race on our calendar several years ago as a “can’t miss” experience in an area described as the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania”. We knew the course would be hilly and challenging, but it was an easy trade-off for the chance to run in such a beautiful spot.

However, this race tops our list for more reasons than lush forests and spectacular canyons. We actually registered for this race 3 times; July 2020, 2021, and 2022. COVID air travel restrictions caused us to cancel in 2020, and knee surgery dictated another cancellation in 2021. We are nothing if not persistent, so we registered again for 2022. Between the two of us, we spent countless hours trying to figure out the best way to get to Wellsboro that wouldn’t cost a king’s ransom nor require 14+ hours of air travel and multiple connections. We looked at 10 different airlines and as many airports. Nothing was perfect. We finally settled on flying into Rochester and driving the 130 miles to Wellsboro, both of us on different airlines with different arrival times, but it was the best we could do and at some point we quit trying to find perfect.

Not so bright, but very early Thursday morning, we both headed out to our respective airports. I was flying Delta from Seattle to Detroit, then taking a puddle jumper to Rochester, and Melodie was flying SW from Oakland to Rochester, with a mid-day stop at Chicago. We decided it was the earliest we had ever started our travel day as both flights required a 3:30 am wake-up call. This picture tells the story far better than words.

As travel stories go, this one was not without bumps. Melodie’s flight proceeded without a hitch and she arrived in Rochester 20 minutes ahead of her scheduled time. I already had a much longer connection in Detroit putting me a couple hours behind her, but when I arrived, it was to the announcement that my connecting flight was delayed. Over the next few hours, the time just kept getting pushed out, over and over. I finally found out that the plane scheduled to make the flight had been pulled and they had to substitute a much smaller plane that had not yet arrived at the airport. Some very unhappy passengers got bumped as not all booked passengers could be accommodated. The gate agent had my full sympathies as she fielded complaints from very angry people while doing her best to get everyone where they needed to go. Virgin Atlantic ended up offering $500 to anyone who would give up their seat. We were finally boarded 90 minutes late only to sit on the tarmac for another hour before taking off. The drama was not over even then. The airplane was small and very old and sounded alarmingly like the proverbial bucket of bolts. It was probably the longest 45 minute flight I’ve ever endured. My relief and gratitude knew no bounds when we finally landed in Rochester.

Detroit Airport’s Sound and Light Tunnel

Meanwhile, Melodie had to cool her heels in Rochester for 4 long hours. She picked up the rental car while waiting for me, so the next part was easy. Rochester is a small airport so it was a short walk to the curb and the blessed relief of being off that plane and finally on the last leg of our long travel day.

The drive to Wellsboro from Rochester was 130 miles, but they were easy, scenic miles on wide-open freeways through the countryside of New York and Pennsylvania. We arrived at our AirBnB in Wellsboro around 8:30 p.m. and were enchanted with the immaculate grounds and picturesque home.

The AirBnB was a ground floor apartment, thoughtfully appointed with every conceivable amenity except the ability to control the temperature. Despite the balmy July weather, it was COLD! We called the host who told us to open the door to warm the place up. So we opened the door, turned on the fireplace and the electric heater in the bedroom, and finally got the place comfortable.

Next on the agenda was heading out to find dinner. Our host had thoughtfully provided a list of local restaurants, but every single one of them closed at 9:00 pm. You’d think we would learn. Small town USA rolls up their sidewalks early and if you are hungry after 9:00 pm, you are just out of luck. We finally found a little cash-only bar downtown that stayed open until midnight. The food was actually OK if you liked fried and greasy with your honky-tonk, but we felt just a tad out of place. We figured the average customer age was about 25 and 75% male.

We stopped at a small grocery store to pick up cream for our morning coffee, grateful to find one that was open, and headed back to our AirBnB prepared to don jackets and sweats to stay warm.

Friday morning dawned bright and beautiful. We couldn’t have ordered nicer weather. We stopped at Starbucks for a simple breakfast then headed out to Colton State Park to check out the course and the general area. Everything was so lush and green, not a dry stick to be found. Pine Creek Gorge runs through the Grand Canyon of PA and stretches out for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1,500 feet. The dynamic topography of the canyon creates many scenic wonders including steep canyon walls and waterfalls. To say we were in awe of the beauty surrounding us would be seriously understating it.

We spent some time driving through the park trying to figure out the exact race course. One thing was very clear; there was going to be a lot of “up”.

For an afternoon activity, we reserved seats with the Ole Covered Wagon Tours of Tioga County. The tour provided a 2-hour ride on a horse-drawn covered wagon through the canyon on Pine Creek Rail Trail, accompanied by a guide fluent in the history of the canyon. We love horses, beauty, and history so it was a win-win for us.

We arrived at the site in plenty of time to chat up the tour guide, the trainer, and the driver. The horses pulling our wagon that afternoon were two 5-year old Percherons named Fritz and Prince. Despite their enormous size, they were calm and gentle with sweet dispositions. It was obvious that they were treated like royalty which made us both very happy.

The drive through the canyon was a bit dusty and hot, but overall very enjoyable. We were able to see a lot more of the canyon then we would have on foot, plus we met some interesting people and shared stories. The guide was a colorful character, a bit on the flirtatious side, but full of stories about the history of the Canyon. His grandfather traveled on foot from Pittsburgh to Wellsboro as a 14-yr old and joined the Civilian Conservancy Corp that planted the trees that are responsible for the lush forests in the park today. The camp existed from 1933 – 1936 and employed many teenagers who were solely responsible for supporting their families during the depression.

After our wagon ride, we headed back to our AirBnB to clean up and locate a place to eat dinner that would hopefully be a step up from the Gas Light Bar & Grill of the night before. As we were leisurely heading out the door, we realized that we had totally spaced picking up our bibs and swag while out at the park. Pickup time was scheduled for 4:00 – 6:00 pm which meant we had 15 minutes to drive the 12 winding miles back to the park. Melodie is to be commended for her driving; she got us there safely and literally 2 minutes before closing so we were able to pick up bibs and jackets and not have to deal with them on race morning.

For dinner, we selected a restaurant called Timeless Destinations, an Italian restaurant with a varied menu and decent reviews. It was definitely an improvement from the previous night, which we greatly appreciated. After dinner it was back to the AirBnB for an early night in preparation for race day.

Race morning dawned, as it always does. We got up at 6:00 am, had our typical race morning breakfast of granola, nuts, yogurt and berries and headed out to the park. By this time, we figured we’d driven this road 4 times!

This particular race required us to park in a grassy field and walk a half mile to the race start. We didn’t do much complaining, however. The temperature was a perfect 68 and beauty surrounded us.

It’s always hard to imagine you are going to run 13.1 miles until you actually head to the starting line. Then the habits of the last 25 years take over and you just put one foot in front of the other. The first 2.5 miles of this course was an unrelenting, uphill slog. We were prepared for it, however, so it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as the single track in Nebraska. After that first hill, the course rolled, with a total elevation gain of 1,783 feet. We both found our rhythm and pushed through the miles, all 13.1 of them. The race was very well organized with water available at every mile and all the turns were well marked so there was no fear of getting lost, one of my biggest worries. As always, my sis managed to get some great pictures.

One of the nicest things about races is that they end! We both finished with a smile on our face, so happy to be done and grateful that the race had gone much better than anticipated. With Melodie recovering from a recent bout with COVID, and me with one bionic and one arthritic knee, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. As we headed down that last hill, both of us were flooded with gratitude for the opportunity to be in this particular moment.

After a race, water always looks particularly tempting. We bushwhacked our way down a grassy hill in search of a spot to put our feet in the water. It ended up not being particularly gratifying as the water was shallow and rocky and large bees were buzzing about our heads, but we did get our feet wet.

The rest of race day was pretty typical. We headed back for showers and stretching then found a spot for lunch at Wellsboro House. Naps also found their way to our agenda. Later that day, we walked through the city for a bit to stretch our legs. Wellsboro is a small town, population of 3,472 with no real industry but services. It is a very modest little town in Tioga County with no evidence of newer homes or active industry. Its’ claim to fame is that it is home to Colton State Park, the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and Pine Creek Gorge. The statue of Wynken, Blynken and Nod in the city park caught our eye and we had to stop and read the poem and story behind it.

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, much like the whole weekend. We had a leisurely morning as checkout wasn’t until 11:00 am. Our flights did not leave until 6:45 pm that evening so we had some hours to fill. Melodie did some googling and found a park called Letchworth State Park that was right on our route to Rochester. What a find that turned out to be! This spontaneous, unplanned stop came close to being the highlight of our trip. The park is located in upstate New York and is approximately 1.5 miles wide and 17 miles long. The entire drive is filled with scenic magnificence and follows the mighty Genesee River. The steep Genesee Gorge walls, the river winding below, the plunge and spray of dramatic waterfalls and lush forest all contribute to make the park one of the most notable examples of waterfall and gorge scenery in the United States. In fact, they claim it as the #1 State park in the USA. It would be hard to disagree. Between Melodie and me, we took over a hundred pictures. Around every curve was a pullout more beautiful than the one before.

We couldn’t find a decent spot to eat breakfast earlier in the day, so just decided to skip it and get lunch in the park. However, when we got here, we were so intrigued with everything and wanted to take it all in, so lunch took a back seat. When we got to the south end of the park, we had the opportunity to hike to the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls, or take our last hour to get something to eat. You can guess which option won. If Laurie and Janille had been with us, we would never have gotten away with this! We grabbed some snack nuts and headed out first to the Lower Falls; a hike that required 128 steps down to the viewpoint. It was worth every step!

Time was marching on and we knew we still had a ways to drive to get to Rochester Airport, but we couldn’t resist checking out all the falls. The Upper Falls was a much shorter hike from the parking lot, but absolutely stunning.

Last, but not least, was the Middle Falls. This one required a bit more walking and we knew time was getting short, but there was no way we were quitting now. The roar of the waterfalls provided a dramatic backdrop to the incredible views.

As we left the park, we grabbed one last photo to remember this amazing spot. It is definitely a place you could visit over and over again.

As we exited the park, we did a time check and it was 4:30 pm. We needed gas, and Google Maps was telling us we had an hour drive to the airport and our flights left at 6:45 pm. You do the math. We did not have time to loiter or eat. But we didn’t regret a minute of our time spent at Letchworth State Park, and as we found out later, there was no reason to fret, as our flight was late. I was flying back to Oakland with Melodie, so at least we didn’t have to worry about two different flights.

We arrived at Rochester Airport, turned in our rental car, checked the current status of our flight and decided we had time to eat. However, as we went from one restaurant to the next, we were told everything was closed for food. Drinks only. Wow. That was unexpected. We did find a little bar that was gracious enough to serve us a big pile of nachos. Not our typical fare, but at that point, being picky was off the table. Our flight left a little late, but not too bad. We knew we had a long layover in Chicago, so weren’t too worried.

Melodie and I both live and breathe by TripIt as it is the best app out there for managing travel. Our first alert on the connecting flight in Chicago said it was an hour late; 15 minutes later, we received a second alert saying the flight number had changed and we were on time. However, when we arrived in Chicago, a third alert informed us the flight was delayed again by an hour. At this point, we went in search of food again, but the only options were two restaurants that had lines stringing out for miles. As we had time to kill, we stood in the line for over an hour to order a very mediocre pizza and salad. And while all this eating drama was happening, our flight continued to get pushed out, over and over again. A very young gate agent who was challenged to speak understandably, informed a very tired crowd at the gate that we were waiting for the pilot to arrive from another flight. About 20 minutes later, a middle-aged, very weary-looking pilot came running down the walkway. The entire crowd stood up and cheered! It was a remarkable moment. People could have been angry and surly, but instead chose to show appreciation for the pilot. We were boarded about a half hour later, again to sit on the airplane for another 30 minutes and finally took off at 11:30 pm, 2.5 hours later than scheduled.

We arrived in Oakland at 2:30 am, weary to the bone, realizing with the time change that our travel day had literally been 24 hours long. Melodie called a Lyft while we were still on the plane, and we literally ran through the airport to get there in time as the driver showed up within 5 minutes. We arrived at her home mercifully quickly, and crawled into bed.

On reflection, this trip hit the top of so many lists. The most hours spent in travel planning, the earliest departure ever, the longest and most egregious travel delays, many subpar or absent meals, all mixed up with some of the most spectacular scenery we have ever seen. It was great to spend a few more days together. Kathy joined us on Tuesday and we ended this epic travel event with some special sister time.

As I sign off, I’m reminded of a poem by Sara Teasdale that my Mom loved and quoted often.

Barter

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.
Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight
Holy thoughts that star the night.
Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.
Sara Teasdale

Next up, Clinton, New Jersey, State #47! We are unbelievably close to completing our goal.

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged 50 States, beautiful scenery, Fifty States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

Nebraska – State #45

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Joanne

Seven short weeks after Delaware, it was time to gear up for Nebraska. Challenges with travel and running are the name of the game, but in the days prior to our departure, we set a new high. COVID, nagging injuries, and a broken, abscessed tooth all showed up to complicate things. Right up to the very last minute, we were not sure who was going to be able to make the trip. But somehow, when Friday morning rolled around and it was time to head to the airport, all 5 sisters were there. Janille and Sharon were driving for this one and would meet us in Nebraska. They had arrived the previous day and were visiting friends.

Travel wise, this trip was much easier than some we have done. The best (and only) option was to fly Allegiant into Rapid City and drive 110 miles to Chadron. Melodie had to fly into Phoenix the previous day, so she definitely logged more travel hours than the rest of us. When we arrived at Gateway Mesa early Friday morning, we were shocked at how busy this small airport was. Lines were long, but thanks to TSA Pre-Check, we all made it to the boarding gate in time, some of us a little later than others.

This trip was a bit unique in that race day was the day after travel day. Typically, we use the day after travel for sight-seeing and race day follows that. However, that wasn’t an option as flights into Rapid City are only available on certain days, so we adjusted our schedule. There is a lot to do and see in NW Nebraska if you are willing to drive the big open spaces, so we decided to take advantage of the trek south and spend Friday doing some sight-seeing. Top of our list was Needles Highway, famous for its tunnels and incredible views, Sylvan Lake, and Custer State Park. We picked up our rental car, put the directions in our phones, and headed out.

The drive from the airport to Custer State Park via Needles Highway was windy and slow and made me grab for my nausea bands, but the views made up for it. Breathtaking scenery awaited us around every curve. We stopped at a pull-out and took copious pictures. The weather was picture perfect.

The plan was to meet Janille and Sharon on the way, but challenges with communication made that a bit difficult. We did finally manage to connect at the Sylvan Lake Lodge for a delicious lunch.

After lunch, we all headed over to Sylvan Lake to explore more of this amazingly beautiful country.

The hills beckoned, so we decided to do a little hiking while we were there. It was a bit rocky, so some chose to stick with the trail around the lake.

The next item on the agenda was to drive through the famous Needle’s Eye Tunnel, one of three on South Dakota Highway 87. The narrow, windy road attracts many tourists so part of the experience is threading your way through RV’s, motorcycles, and vehicles with large trailers who stop to take pictures. The name Needle’s Eye comes from one of the most memorable granite needles along the drive, with its signature “eye” formed by countless years of rain, ice and wind. Janille and Sharon had already driven the “needle” once, and interestingly enough, were not all that eager to do it again :).

The day was getting on and we still had 80 miles to go, so it was time to hit the road again.

NW Nebraska is as advertised: miles and miles of grasslands where the antelope and the buffalo play. There are serious mountains in the distance, as we would discover the next day, but from Highway 385, it was all rolling plains.

We pulled into our driveway around 5:30 pm that evening. It had been a long travel day and we were ready to find dinner and prepare for race day. Janille and Sharon had arrived ahead of us, despite a few glitches in Google’s directions. Our home away from home was a spacious log cabin set up against a hillside in the middle of acres and acres of grassland, truly picturesque.

After unloading our bags and getting settled into our rooms, we headed out to eat. Our host had given us some recommendations for local restaurants, so we just picked the first one on the list: “The Ridge”. Arriving, we found the restaurant almost empty with not a waitress in sight. We almost baled, but our stomachs were protesting, so we decided to stick it out. Eventually, a sweet, cheerful waitress came over and waited on us. She took our orders only to come back 10 minutes later to tell us they were out of tenderloin. Sighing, we came up with substitutes and waited another 30 minutes for the food to show up. Everything was pretty mediocre, but at that point, our expectations matched the reality.

After dinner, Linda, Melodie, Kathy and I decided to drive to Chadron State Park and check out the race site. The rest of our crew were more interested in heading back to the cabin and relaxing. Although the directions were sketchy, we did manage to find the staging area for the race. It is always comforting to figure out where you need to be prior to race day, so we were glad we did it.

Driving back to our log cabin, we were treated to a spectacular sunset. We pulled off the road and took pictures, feeling blessed to be treated to so much beauty.

We were all up by 6:00 am the next morning. We had plenty of time for coffee and breakfast before heading out to Chadron State Park for an 8:00 am start time. The weather was on our side; no wind, clear skies, and temps in the high 60’s.

All told, there were 28 participants for the Run for the Hills Trail Races (5K, 10K, and Half Marathon), by far the smallest field we’ve ever run with. When we picked up our bibs, the race director told us that COVID had decimated her volunteer crew and she was running the race on a shoestring. There had previously been a mountain bike race scheduled to be part of the day’s festivities, but it was cancelled because of low registration. As we stood listening to the directions for the race and heard that all distances would be run on the Steamboat Trail, our hearts sank. For the half marathoners, that meant 4 loops of the steepest trail in the park. 5Kers would do the loop once, and 10Kers would do it twice. We later learned that this trail had been marked and prepared for the mountain bikers and because they lacked sufficient volunteers to mark any additional trails, they moved all the running races to the bike trail. Although the race crew was supportive and encouraging, we highly suspected that none of them were runners or they would never have decided this was an acceptable alternative.

At some point, you just accept the situation and go forward.

The director blew a whistle at 8:00 am sharp and off we went. The first mile was steeply downhill on a narrow bike track with tripping hazards aplenty. I was grousing and complaining as I went, little realizing that this was the easiest part of the trail. This was followed by a half mile of fairly runnable trail.

After the first mile and a half, we hit the hills. There were 3 of them, and each was steeper than the last. There were encouraging signs posted along the way, which depending on your state of mind, were either aggravating or amusing. As we slogged through the next two miles, our overwhelming thought was, “can we possibly do this 4 times!” And when I wasn’t worrying about that, I was concerned about the 5Ker’s running this same challenging trail. One sister was recovering from COVID and ankle surgery; none of them had in any way been prepared for this.

Melodie ended up being the cheerleader on this one. I was seriously debating the wisdom of continuing, but she kept going and my only acceptable option was to keep going with her. Every loop got a little harder and a little slower, but we kept slogging and at some point we knew we were going to finish the WHOLE THING. As we passed the staging area for the last loop, we were informed that the crew was going to fold up and go home. That was a bit disconcerting, but we had water and knew the course and were determined to finish. The rest of our crew had finished long ago and headed back to the showers, but Sharon and Janille hung around, took photos, and greeted us at the finish line with our medals and some water left by the race crew. Sharon captured finish line photos of most of the crew.

There was definitely some euphoria in knowing we had finished the hardest half marathon of our lives, but it was tempered by the knowledge that we were going to be very sore!! Our muscles were not prepared for 2,400 feet of elevation gain on narrow, rough trails with constant camber. Showers felt great, as did the massage gun I had brought along. After everyone was cleaned up and rested, we headed out to a different restaurant for lunch. The menu and the service at Helen’s Pancake and Steakhouse were a step up from The Ridge, for which we were grateful.

The rest of the day was pretty low key. We did a lot of visiting and relaxing and headed to bed early that night. The cabin had proved very comfortable, but the AC struggled to keep it cool enough for some, so we opened the windows that night and let the howling wind cool us off. The only fly in the ointment was that some of us shared our rooms with bugs, mostly dead ones, but bugs nonetheless.

Sunday was another sight-seeing day. We tossed around a few ideas and decided on the Toadstool Geological Park which was about 45 miles away, and the Museum of the Fur Trade, which was located in town on the site of an old trading post. We had breakfast at Helen’s around 10:00 am, and then hit the road again for the park.

The last ten miles to the park were on a rough dirt road so the going was slow. Approaching Toadstool Geological Park felt a little like driving into the middle of nowhere. The park is located in the Oglala National Grasslands and is named for its unique rock formations of clay topped by slabs of sandstone, preserving fossils and footprints of extinct species like tortoises, rhinos, saber-toothed cats and more. Toadstools are created by the forces of wind and water, eroding soft clay faster than the hard sandstone rocks that caps it. We were totally fascinated by the rock formations and spent some time wandering through the park taking pictures and climbing over the rocks.

Our next stop was back in town at the Museum of the Fur Trade. The museum stands on the site of James Bordeaux’s trading post which was established for the American Fur Company in 1837 and is now included in the National Register of Historic places. The museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the North American fur trade, the first business in North America, by illustrating its diverse stories through over 6,000 authentic artifacts on display. We watched a short video highlighting the history of the fur trade and found it fascinating that the location of many of our cities and streets today were established by the routes of the fur traders.

By this time, this crew was ready to be fed. We weren’t terribly excited about either of our earlier choices, so decided to try The Country Kitchen, a restaurant not on the recommended list. And we scored. It was the best meal we ate during our entire stay in Chadron, NE.

No one was hungry enough for another full-fledged meal that day, but some of us talked the rest into indulging in an ice cream treat. No guilt was experienced. We figured we’d earned it.

The wind howled again all evening and into the night. We realized how fortunate we had been to have good weather for the race on Saturday. Nebraska weather appears to be very fickle, changing from sunny, cloudless skies, to stormy, windy ones in a heartbeat.

We were all up at 5:30 the next morning to complete the check-out list and get on the road by 6:30 a.m. for a morning flight. We still managed to find time to take a few last-minute photos of the group.

And so one more running trip ends, one more story for the books. This one had it all; beautiful scenery, jaw-dropping wonders of nature, the most challenging course we’ve ever run, and nonstop conversation and laughter with some of our favorite people. And as always, we are so grateful for the ability to run and travel together. We take nothing for granted. Every experience puts one more treasure in the memory box.

Next up, State #46, Pennsylvania. Another hilly course, but child’s play compared to Nebraska!

Until then, run happy!

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged 50 States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

Delaware – State #44

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Joanne

In putting together our 2022 calendar, we ended up scheduling Connecticut and Delaware just 4 short weeks apart, something we would not typically do. We had first registered for the Coastal Delaware Running Festival in April 2020, but COVID, travel woes and surgery had forced us to defer this race 4 times! April 2022 was the ticket. We were pretty happy to finally be able to complete this run, even if it meant back-to-back state runs.

Air travel to the east coast continued to pose some real challenges. Originally, we planned to fly into Baltimore and drive to Rehoboth Beach, but SW cancelled our original flights and substituted 14 hr marathons with multiple stops so we had to come up with Plan B. We ended up booking flights into Washington National in DC and driving some gnarly miles in order to score shorter flight times. Janille and Laurie were joining us for this race so we were coming from four different airports; Phoenix, Oakland, Salt Lake and Seattle.

The flights through DCA may have been more affordable and shorter, but they dictated some EARLY departure times. All of us crawled out of bed around 3:30 am to make our flights, with the exception of Laurie who had scored a nonstop flight on Alaska. Melodie captured the moment as she headed out of Oakland early Friday morning.

Melodie, Janille and I met in Midway, Chicago within an hour of each other. We had a relaxed connection for the next leg to DC so we had time to grab lunch. It was at this point we learned that Laurie had been delayed. Her last text estimated at least an hour delay and she was already scheduled to arrive an hour later than us, so we prepared for some downtime in DC.

Reagan National is a small airport so we had exited security before we realized it. We figured we had at least two hours to kill before picking up Laurie, so we picked up our rental car and headed out in search of a coffee shop.

We ended up in Arlington, VA which boasts a charming downtown area, but very limited parking. Walking was required but it was a good option for bodies that had been crammed in an airplane for 6 hours. We hung out here until we received a text from Laurie that she was on the ground.

By the time we picked up Laurie, it was 5:30 pm which meant we were headed into the thick of Friday night commuter traffic on the DC/Maryland/VA freeways. We had 124 miles to go, but our phones were predicting a 3 hour drive. Fun! We did manage to stay on the right freeway this time thanks to our talented chauffeur (Melodie), but the first hour and a half were torturously slow. When we finally escaped the worst of the traffic, we decided it was time to find a place to eat. We stopped at a restaurant called “Out of the Fire” in a little town in MD called Easton. They advertised farm-to-table fresh, but what that really means is the food is outrageously expensive. All was forgiven, however, as everything was fresh and delicious and provided a welcome break from the horror that was east coast traffic during rush hour.

The next hour and a half were spent wandering through the countryside on two-lane rural roads. According to Apple CarPlay, we were headed to Rehoboth Beach, but it certainly felt like we took a roundabout route. We finally arrived at our destination shortly after 9:00 pm, very ready to call it a day. We were delighted to find our condo as advertised; clean, accommodating, comfortable beds, and well-equipped. The candy, however, was courtesy of my eldest daughter who does not travel without the necessities.

The next morning dawned clear and beautiful. The weather was pretty amazing and made us feel very blessed. The condo was located in the Grand Canal Resort which is a well-maintained, lovely area.

We did not totally understand the rationale behind this speed limit sign, but we rolled with it :).

One thing about having Janille and Laurie on board, we do not skip meals. Melodie and I are notorious for only getting in two meals on pre-race day, but not on this trip! We saddled up and headed to Rehoboth Beach for some breakfast and beach walking around 10:00 on Saturday.

After breakfast, we walked down to the beach for a couple of hours. Located on the Delaware Shores, the Rehoboth Beach & Dewey Beach Resort Area is known for its award-winning boardwalk, awesome hotels, specialty stores, amusements, beautiful homes, tax-free shopping and fine restaurants. We are always drawn to the ocean; there is something so timeless about the sight and sound of the waves as they crash against the shore. Tourist season had not officially begun so the crowds were light.

After a bit, we headed to the grocery store and bought supplies for breakfasts and a salad for lunch. No skipping meals! Afterwards, we headed back to town to do a little more sight-seeing and pick up our race packets. Downtown Rehoboth is definitely a tourist town, but it is clean, upscale, and charming. We particularly loved the homes in the area so did a little googling to find out more. Most homes in town and along the beach carried a price tag between $2.5 – $3.5 million. Wow!

Not to shock anyone, but we actually spent a couple of hours shopping. That has to be a first for a running trip! I think I’m the only one who bought anything, but it was fun to shop the outlets with good company, aka fashion advisors.

And then there is always time to be goofy. It’s our eternal youth showing up.

Laurie was appointed as the official restaurant finder for the entire trip. For dinner, she took us to a place called Iron Brewery, a sports bar that boasted a fairly comprehensive menu. The food was delicious, and Janille was happy as she got to watch the ending of a very exciting Jazz playoff game.

We are a disciplined crew when it comes to running trips, so it was back to the condo for an early night. Janille and Laurie had a 7:20 start, and Melodie and I had a 7:40 start, so a relaxed morning was not on the agenda.

We rolled out of bed at 6:00 am, forced down an early breakfast, grabbed that essential cup of coffee, and headed off to the races. Again, the weather was picture perfect. 61 degrees, clear skies and not a breath of wind. How did we get so lucky?

Melodie and I took a quick walk back to the car to unload our jackets as we couldn’t find a gear check. For the most part, the race was exceptionally well organized and provided every amenity for the runner, but for some reason, they missed this piece. All was well, it just meant we had a mile warm-up walk and made it back to the starting line with only seconds to spare. And we missed seeing Laurie and Janille off and taking more photos.

The race course was beautiful. It was mostly staged on paved/graveled trails that wandered through Cape Henlopen State Park, traversed a couple miles of boardwalk, and overall, provided some pretty spectacular views.

This race had it all. Euphoric moments when I was so grateful to be alive and running again, mixed with moments of slogging it out and hoping my body would hold up for 13.3 miles. Overall, all four of us felt good about our race. We ran/walked within our limits, and ended standing tall. I’m so proud of this crew.

I’m sorry we didn’t get finish line pictures of the 9K girls, but they aren’t nearly as possessed with picture taking as the oldies are!

After the race, we headed back to the condo for showers and stretching. Again, Laurie was put to the task of finding a place to eat. She took us to a little Mexican restaurant which we pretty much had all to ourselves, but the food was delightful. Rehoboth Beach is advertised as having great restaurants, and we found that to be true.

The rest of the day was pretty typical. We did a little walking, a lot of relaxing, and had one more restaurant experience at a local spot called Jam Bistro.

Monday was travel day. We knew it was going to be a long one, and in this case it was even longer than anticipated. We checked out of our condo by 11:00, and figured since our flights left at 5:00 and we had a 3 hr drive, we had time for a little more sight-seeing. We drove down Highway 1 for a bit and stopped off at Dewey State Park. This beach was much more raw and untamed than Rehoboth Beach and the wind was howling, so it was a very different beach experience.

And then it was time to start the long drive back to the airport. We figured we still had an hour or so to spare for lunch, so we stopped at a restaurant called Copper Canyon Grill in Maryland. The food was great, but the wait staff was not in a hurry and we ended up being there far longer than we anticipated. Added to that, when we hit the freeway again, traffic was backed up for miles and our estimated arrival time kept getting pushed out until we were at risk of missing our flight. All of us felt very silly as we had plenty of time had we managed it better, and we aren’t novices at this travel thing. Fortunately, Laurie’s flight was later (much later in fact, as it was delayed by 4.5 hours), so the rest of us jumped out at the curb and ran like crazy people through the airport to security and then to our gate. Laurie graciously took over the task of fueling the rental car and turning it in, otherwise this story would have been different. We did make it to our gate in time, only to find our flight was delayed so that heart-pumping, anxiety-filled race through the airport was entirely unnecessary. But that is air travel. You never know.

Unfortunately, this was not the end of our travel story. Melodie, Janille and I boarded our flight to Dallas and arrived almost an hour late. I barely made my connection to Phoenix, but both Janille and Melodie had seriously delayed flights from Dallas. Melodie ended up waiting for 3 hours in the Dallas airport only to board the plane for Oakland to wait another hour before takeoff. She did not get home until 1:00 am which made for her longest travel day ever. Janille experienced much the same time-table and did not pull into her friend Ashley’s home in Provo until 2:00 am. Laurie sat out her 5 hour delay in DC and arrived in Seattle well after midnight. I was the most fortunate and arrived in Phoenix shortly after 9:00 pm, not too much later than the original schedule. The travel marathon can be much harder on mind and body than the physical one, but we are always grateful to arrive home safely.

Rough travel days happen, but thankfully, that memory dims and we are eager to take on the next challenge. Only 6 states to go, and then it’s back to the drawing board to plan what comes next. Whatever it is, we are grateful for the opportunity to embrace life, adventure, and each other.

Next up, all 5 sisters plus a couple of nieces in Chadron State Park, Nebraska. State 45!

Until then, run happy!

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged 50 States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | Leave a comment

Connecticut – State #43

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Joanne

It’s been exactly 10 months and twelve days since I last sat down to pen a running blog. When I signed off after the Mother’s Day run last May, I wasn’t sure when, or if, there would be any more half marathons in my future. But thanks to an incredibly supportive family, a sister who won’t let me say die, and an amazing surgeon who not only gave me a new knee but the confidence to use it, here I am again. It took some time to make friends with this new knee, but I’m ever grateful for the opportunity.

As 2022 dawned and travel was once again a possibility, we hit the drawing board to put together a running calendar for the last 8 states. A secondary goal has been to complete the journey while I’m still 70, and despite COVID and knee surgery, that seemed to be in our sights. You might think that picking great runs in 8 states and spreading them out over a year and a half would be easy, but it is not. It feels akin to putting together a jigsaw puzzle where the last few pieces just won’t fit. Suffice it to say, we needed a run in March, and the Savin Rock Half Marathon in West Haven, CT filled the bill. Chances were decent we wouldn’t freeze to death, and while the middle miles were hilly, the early and late miles ran along Long Island Sound and provided some pretty incredible views of the water. And between Yale University in New Haven and the West Haven Beach Parks, the area had some interesting history. So off we went.

Travel to the east coast was not simple. Airlines have been hit hard by the cost of fuel and the labor shortage, which translates into fewer choices and more expensive flights. After multiple iterations, we booked long SW flights that left at the crack of dawn and routed us through Dallas (Melodie) and Atlanta (Joanne), landing in LaGuardia, about 80 miles south of West Haven. My flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia was put on weather hold for an hour and a half, which made for an even longer day. I finally got there at 7:00 pm, found Melodie at an airport workstation making use of her time by working, and we headed off to pick up our rental car.

LaGuardia is notorious for being a difficult airport to get in and out of, and we certainly found it so. It was dark, and even with iPhone CarPlay giving us step-by-step driving directions, we ended up taking a few wrong turns. We did eventually get headed in the right direction on Long Island Freeway and arrived in West Haven around 9:00 p.m.

Those of you who read my blogs know the drill. We were hungry, it had been a long travel day and our first order of business was finding a place to eat. We had noticed a Chipotle down the hill from the hotel and that felt convenient and quick. Upon arriving, we found the staff cleaning up for the night, chairs on the tables, and obviously anxious to lock their doors and go home. They were gracious enough to take our salad order which we took back to the hotel where we could eat without the backdrop of mops and disinfectant. The hotel was old and not particularly luxurious, but we were happy to discover the beds were comfortable, which is always the most important thing.

We did not have a full sight-seeing agenda for the next day. It is still winter in Connecticut in March and the breeze was cold. We decided to drive to downtown New Haven, park the car, and just walk around a bit. New Haven is definitely a combination of a college town and an old, somewhat rundown urban area, but it has its charm. We decided to come back and tour Yale University on Sunday when we had a little more time.

We walked through a little cafe called “Pistachio” while waiting for a table at Bella’s cafe. The place was unique and charming, but the menu was somewhat limited which was why it did not make the cut.

The food at Bella’s was great, and the ambiance charming, which definitely created a win-win.

West Haven prides itself on being home to the longest stretch of publicly accessible shoreline in Connecticut. The city boasts 3 miles of beach on Long Island Sound that comprises 25% of the state’s public beaches. Savin Rock Beach Park, one of the parks along this stretch, was the spot at which our run would be staged. Formerly known as Savin Rock Amusement Park, the area was a regionally renowned seaside resort for many years. It evolved into a general amusement park in the 20th century and was dubbed Connecticut’s Coney Island. It eventually closed in 1966.

The name “Savin Rock” comes from the rocky outcropping at the shorefront in Bradley Point Park, a historically significant spot on this stretch of beach. West Haven was the frequent launch and arrival point for raiding parties on both sides of the Revolutionary War. On July 5, 1779, the British invaded New Haven Harbor and came ashore in West Haven and East Haven. Thomas Painter, a teenaged militiaman, stood atop this rock as he warned of invading ships entering the harbor.

Another marker of historical significance along this shoreline is the Veterans Walk of Honor. The walk honors veterans from World War II, The Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It is always sobering to look at all the names and remember how many have given all in service to this country.

There was a large rock by the shore in Savin Rock Beach Park that drew our attention. It had an inscription that was barely decipherable. I did some research and discovered the inscription is the Special Olympics motto. It seemed rather fitting for our weekend.

Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

The race director had sent out a mail earlier in the day with instructions for the race. He made it very clear that while the route would be marked with arrows, we were responsible to know the route well enough that we wouldn’t get lost if perchance signs were blown over. Armed only with a MapMyRun, we decided we’d better do our best to drive the route and get familiar with all the turns.

It took over an hour, complete with multiple wrong turns and a navigator with a queasy stomach, but we managed to successfully drive the route. It turns out this time was not wasted, as it helped immeasurably on race day where the focus needs to be on running, not worrying about where the next turn might be.

The rest of the day included a pre-race dinner at a local pizza spot and a shopping spree at the local Walmart. Somehow, we both missed that the hotel had a swimming pool so did not come prepared. The pickins’ were slim, but we managed to find something that was not too appalling and would hopefully hold up in water.

One of the appealing things about the Savin Half Marathon was the start time. In an effort to coordinate with the local train schedule, the race did not start until 9:00 a.m. We got up at 6:30 the next morning and ate a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before driving to the park to pick up race bibs and prepare for the race.

The weather showed up in perfect dress for us. As we arrived at the park, the sun was just rising over the water. The temperature was 48 with neither rain nor wind, pretty much perfect for running.

The race was relatively small, about 300 people for both the half and the marathon, and everything was well organized. We picked up our race bibs and spent the rest of the time snapping pictures and making sure we were prepared for the race.

And finally, it was time to run. I had some anxiety initially as I had not tested my new knee on a hilly, 13.1 mile course, but years of running took over, and my focus moved to enjoyment and getting through the miles. Melodie snapped a few pictures along the course, as usual. It was a quintessential Connecticut morning.

Two and a half hours later, it was over. We were a bit tired and road weary, but grateful to be at the finish line, standing tall and celebrating the moment.

We headed back to the hotel, did our customary rolling and stretching, and added in a little pool time to ease our tired muscles. The Walmart specials did their job, and we did not end up embarrassing ourselves. We indulged ourselves with a delicious steak at the Texas Roadhouse nearby, and spent the rest of the day relaxing and you guessed it; planning running trips.

Our return flights were not until late Sunday afternoon, so we had the luxury of another few hours for sight-seeing. We headed back to New Haven with a plan to walk the streets of Yale University and immerse ourselves in an environment rich with history. Founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School, Yale University is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. Acceptance rate to these hallowed halls is 7% with a glowing graduation rate of 97%. Very few students attend here without significant financial aid as the cost of tuition is staggering, close to $100K a year. The buildings are hundreds of years old, with towers and turrets speaking of an earlier time in our nation’s history. It was awe-inspiring to be there. The only thing that brought us back to the 21st century were the college students walking the sidewalks, glued to their iPhones or chatting in the cafes.

We left New Haven around 1:00 and started the trek back to LaGuardia. Because Darien was right on the way, we made a quick stop to visit the home on 21 Hoyt Street where our family lived from 1956 – 1958 and where Melodie was born. We were both young enough that we only have scattered memories from that time, but it was fun to be there and take a few pictures. Our older siblings tell us the home is bigger than it looks from the outside, but we were amazed that a family of 10 lived there. The home is much smaller and older than most in the area. My one memory that is relatively strong is walking across the street to Holmes School for kindergarten. I remember being so proud that finally I could attend school with my big brothers.

Traffic was insane as we neared LaGuardia. The drive took much longer than we anticipated and by the time we dropped off our rental car, rode the multiple shuttles required to get to this massive airport, we were grateful we had allowed ourselves so much time. We navigated security without incident and made the long walk to our terminal with only 30 minutes to spare. We were on the same 4 1/2 hr flight to Houston, then would go our separate ways from there to Oakland and Phoenix. Melodie’s total air time was 8.5 hours, and mine was 7. Definitely not the shortest way home, but the most affordable. We both arrived home, safe and sound, but very late that night.

Although we’ve made many of these trips, our gratitude for the opportunity to travel and run has not dimmed. It remains strong enough to drown out the inconveniences and discomforts that inevitably come with air travel and sleeping and eating in strange places. Each trip is so unique and increases our appreciation of this wonderful world we live in. We enjoy the trips when more of our sisters, daughters, nieces and the occasional brother can join us, but we also cherish the time the two of us have spent together. These trips have filled our memory banks with cherished moments.

The older I get, the more I realize how closely life and running parallel each other. Nothing says it better than this quote from LR Knost.

“Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful, it’s ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That’s just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life. And it’s breathtakingly beautiful.”

Next up, State #44, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged Fifty States, Running, travel | Leave a comment

Wisconsin – State #42

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Joanne

For a variety of reasons, all mentioned in previous blogs, we packed our calendar with races for 2021. Four short weeks after the Carderock Half in Maryland, we were on our way to Nashotah Park, Wisconsin to participate in the Mother’s Day Run for State #42. This race was special as it was the first time since Nov 2019 in North Dakota that all 5 sisters were able to travel and run together. We selected this race because it had distance options, was located in a beautiful park setting, and was put on by an organization that had figured out how to hold races safely and successfully despite COVID-19. It was also billed as flat – but more about that later.

In theory, travel for this race was simple. Fly to Milwaukee and drive 35 miles to Delafield, WI where we had rented a VRBO for the weekend. The four AZ sisters had a non-stop from Phoenix, while Melodie had a layover in Denver. Technically, we’d all be in Milwaukee at about the same time. We boarded our flight Thursday morning right on time, and it looked like everything would be smooth sailing. As we awaited takeoff, the pilot came on the loud speaker and informed us there was a small issue with a maintenance log and the flight would be delayed about 10 minutes. No worries, Melodie was scheduled to arrive about 20 minutes after us, so a slight delay was a non-issue. However, 20 minutes later, as we were still sitting on the tarmac, the pilot came on again informing us that it was taking a little longer than expected. FAA regs had really tightened up so it was important that every “i” was dotted and every “t” was crossed. Ok – we got it, not fun, but understandable. Time marched on….again the pilot came on and told us that the people working on the problem were tired of being bugged, and they would let us know when we could takeoff. Profuse apologies were made, but no promises on the time. Two hours later, we were still sitting there, still getting the occasional apology, and by now we realized there had been a bigger problem than a maintenance log. We were advised that we could leave the plane if desired, which seemed very ominous to us. However, just as people were lining up to disembark, we got the message that we could take off. What a relief! The delay turned a 3 hr flight into a 5 hr endurance ordeal, but at least we would get to Milwaukee within the day.

The two hour tarmac delay meant that Melodie got to Milwaukee an hour and a half before us. She picked up the rental car and hung out in a Starbucks while waiting for our message that we were on the ground. It was actually very nice being picked up curbside. We squeezed into the Mitsubishi Outlander (we later decided that none of us were in line to buy this particular car), and headed to Delafield. The Wisconsin countryside was beautiful and traffic was light, so the drive was pleasant and short. COVID had enforced over a year of isolation, so being together was even more special than usual.

Our VRBO was located in a rural area in the small town of Delafield, WI, population 7,457. It was an older home, but had been remodeled tastefully and was spacious and clean. We were delighted to see the home was as pictured, as that is not always the case. The hostess was responsive and pleasant to work with, the yard was also beautiful, so it was a win-win all around.

The home had 3 bedrooms and 3 baths, so there was plenty of room to spread out. We unpacked and then headed out for our first hot meal of the day. This time we had done our research, so had a list of names to choose from, plus it wasn’t after 10:00 at night. We chose a spot called Revere’s Tavern (named after Paul Revere) and had a nice meal. We did learn later, however, that if you want the best that Wisconsin has to offer, choose beef and fried cheese curds, not fish.

After dinner, we headed out to a grocery store and picked up some food so we could eat breakfasts at the house. With 5 of us and at least 5 different opinions of what constituted a healthy breakfast, we ended up with a cart full of assorted items, some of which would be a stretch to call healthy. But all was good.

Later that night we discussed briefly what we wanted to do for our sight-seeing day. Again, we had done our research and been told the Lake Country area had much to offer in terms of parks, museums, and beautiful lakes and boardwalks. Unfortunately, both Hawks Inn, a stagecoach museum, and Ten Chimneys, the estate of Alfred Lund & Lynn Fontaine, were only open on Saturdays when we would be otherwise occupied. This crew was not overly troubled, however. It was enjoyable enough just to drive around, look at the beautiful countryside, and talk, and talk, and talk some more.

Next morning we got up, had our “healthy” breakfast, and headed out to Nashotah Park to check out the location of our race on Saturday. The day was cool and breezy, but the park was beautiful. We did a little walking, snapped some photos, and just enjoyed being together.

Next stop was lunch – always an important part of our day. This time we chose a place called Lumber’s Inn, and it was definitely the best spot we found the whole trip. Everything was fresh, well-prepared and delicious, the service was stellar, and the restaurant’s ambiance was charming to this group of country girls.

After lunch, we headed out to Nagawicka Lake in search of some of the picturesque boardwalks talked about in the tourist guides. It was easy to see why this area is called Lake Country. There are lakes everywhere you turn, many of them with unique names that speak of the strong Native American influence in the area: Pewaukee, Nashotah, Chenequa, Okauchee, Oconomowoc, Nagawicka, and Upper and Lower Nemahbin being just a few of them. Historically, the region was a weekend getaway for the wealthy elite from Chicago and Milwaukee. Today, Wisconsinites and out-of-towners from all over the world come to find a slice of lakefront paradise in Lake Country. According to Wikipedia, there are 140 lakes in Lake Country.

We were very taken by the homes we passed as we drove to the lake. Huge, palatial homes sitting on several acres of lawn were interspersed with small, much humbler dwellings. It was an interesting mix, but all of them had boats, kayaks, paddleboards and riding lawn movers in their yards. There’s not much mystery about what people do in Lake Country, WI.

Next stop was Silver Circle Sports where we picked up our shirts and bibs. The guy giving out race packets definitely wished he were somewhere else, so we didn’t stay long. We had our shirts and bibs, so we were good to go.

Dinner that night was pizza; not terribly original, but we were determined not to repeat our Maryland mistakes by not eating properly the day before. And then it was back to the house, prepping for the morrow, and more visiting.

All races were scheduled to begin at 9:00 am and we were only a quick 10 min drive away, so it made for a very relaxed morning. The weather was beautiful, albeit a bit cool at 45 degrees, but perfect for running. We showed up with masks in hand, but it quickly became evident that wearing them was optional. For this particular race, they placed cones in a large field, approximately 6 feet apart, and in rows of ten. Everyone stood by a cone, and rows were sent in waves. It was actually very well organized and reduced the congestion you often experience at the start of a race. Some of these COVID changes may end up sticking around.

And we were off. The 5kers did an inside loop, and the half marathoners did two outside loops of 5 miles each, plus the inside loop. As I mentioned earlier, the course was billed as flat and well groomed, but we found that description to be rather inaccurate. The trail was mostly well groomed, but there were definite lumpy spots and the rolling hills netted out to about 900 ft of elevation gain. Not flat, but certainly beautiful with no traffic or pavement to contend with. In fact, much of the time, we found ourselves running alone or with just one or two other people.

The 5kers came in long before the half marathoners. Linda came in first and managed to capture pictures of Kathy and Colleen as they crossed the finish line. What an amazing group these ladies are! The fact that they stand alone, or almost, in their age group, goes to show how impressive it is that they are still out there running! Linda and Colleen both were awarded age group medals.

And eventually, the half marathoners came across as well. Melodie had a great race and came in smiling with a great time. I had some challenges; cranky knees and a wrong turn, but I managed to net my 13.1 miles and finish the race smiling and standing tall – my only prerequisites for a successful race. We also were awarded age group medals.

The rest of the day was pretty typical for a race day. We headed back to the house and showered, rolled and stretched our aching muscles, and looked for a place to eat. We really wanted a restaurant on a lake, but our choices within a reasonable distance were either a really expensive resort, or a homegrown sports bar. We chose the homegrown sports bar, a little place called the Hideaway Bar & Grill for a reason. It was totally hidden from view until you got right down to Okauchee Lake. It did have it’s own brand of charm and the service was nice, although the food was only middling. We talked a nice gentleman into taking some pictures of us outside by the lake, and that was probably the high point of this particular event.

My sisters have to put up with my quirky sense of humor and I really wanted a picture to match the one we took in Kentucky six years ago. They agreed to humor me, although a bit of arm twisting was involved. Our volunteer photographer really got into the spirit of the thing, and had as much fun as we did. It was a fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

After our late afternoon lunch, we headed back to our rental for a bit of R&R. There may have been a few naps involved, but they didn’t last long. Someone mentioned watching a movie, but we were so busy talking that we never got around to it. No one was particularly interested in going to a restaurant again that night, so we stayed in and ate leftovers, and you guessed it. Talked. I’ve often wondered if we would ever run out of conversational material, but it hasn’t happened yet.

We got up the next morning, packed our bags, did the required cleanup tasks in the VRBO, and headed to the airport for our flight home. Three days had gone by very quickly. The flight back to Phoenix was blessedly uneventful. Melodie had a delay on her connection from Phoenix to Oakland, but still managed to get home at a reasonable time.

At the writing of this blog, I’m not sure when the next running trip will be scheduled. My knees which have served me so well for 23 years of running, hiking, traveling, etc., are showing some wear and require some attention. God willing, and with much gratitude for the miracles of modern medicine, I’ll be back at it in a few months to complete the last 8 states. But whatever turn the road takes, my heart is full of gratitude for all the wonderful experiences I have had. But most of all, for the treasure of friendship, love and support I have in my sisters. It is a gift beyond measure.

So, until the next time. Hug the ones you love, go outside and drink in the beauty around you, and be grateful.

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged Fifty States, Half Marathons, Running, sisters, travel | 1 Comment

Maryland – State #41

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Joanne

After only 6 short weeks, it was time to head out for our next states run. 2020 with its enforced isolation, canceled races, and travel restrictions, was behind us. Hard to believe we were looking at State #41!! We started this journey on Oct 3, 2003 in Lake Tahoe, CA and 17+ years later, we’re looking at milepost 11 and the growing certainty that, God willing, we will reach our goal.

We did a fair amount of dithering when selecting our Maryland race. Our first choice was the popular Western Maryland Rail Trail, but because of the size of the event, they were not able to get permitting. We headed back to the internet to research alternatives and found a small race organization called Bishop’s Events that was putting on 130 events a year in Maryland and Virginia. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare or fancy bling with this organization, but the location and timing for this race was perfect; Carderock Recreation Area along the Potomac River in MD in early spring. We put it on the calendar, signed up and made the travel arrangements.

Melodie and I have both been bitten pretty hard by the travel bug. Geography and history have come alive for us by visiting so many different states and cities. We even enjoy the logistical challenges that come with traveling to remote areas and keeping everything affordable. One of the less enjoyable things about travel at this point in time, however, is the mask requirement. While understanding the necessity of protecting the public and ourselves, it can grow very old when you are spending hours in airports and airplanes. But you do what you have to do, to get where you want to go.

For this trip, both of us had long, nonstop flights to Baltimore. Our best options were afternoon flights plus Melodie’s flight had a delay, so we did not arrive in Baltimore until after 9:00 pm. By the time we picked up our rental car and made the 40 mile trek to Bethesda, it was 10:30 pm. As we wandered the streets of downtown Bethesda and saw all the construction, we had a moment of wondering if we had made a poor hotel selection. This was compounded when we realized that it would cost $27 a night to park! Somehow, this country girl had forgotten to account for the challenges of parking in the Maryland/D.C. area. There was public parking available, but I wasn’t crazy about dragging our suitcases around all the construction sites at this time of night. Even more important, however, was the fact that neither of us had much to eat all day and we were starving. We figured in an area like Bethesda there would be plenty of places open late at night where we could get a salad. Wrong. Everything was closed. We found a seedy little CVS and purchased a couple of “healthy” Power Bowls that could be heated in a microwave. Deja vu, anyone?

We drove back to our hotel, still debating what to do about the parking situation. Melodie overrode my fears with her practicality. Why pay $81 if we could avoid it? We located a public parking garage that provided free weekend parking and toted our suitcases down the street to our hotel. Despite the construction, parking and eating challenges, our room was spacious and lovely and had all the comforts and conveniences we could wish for. We heated up our dinner, and settled in for the night.

I used to be a bit embarrassed by the predictability of our running trips, but have chosen to be amused instead. So, as you can imagine, the first thing on the agenda Saturday morning was a cup of coffee and a sightseeing plan. The hotel coffee was marginal at best for these coffee snobs, so we put on our walking shoes and headed out to find a Starbucks. Morning cast a much more favorable light on the area, and I realized that downtown Bethesda indeed had its own brand of charm.

The obvious choice for sightseeing for our Maryland trip was the National Mall Park and Memorials in Washington D.C. Although Melodie had been there a couple of times, it was a first for me and she graciously agreed this was the right choice for the day. Having learned our lesson about parking, we reserved a spot in a public parking garage close to the park and headed out. Although it was only an 8 mile drive, it took a half hour to get there, but we enjoyed the leisurely drive as it allowed us to soak in our surroundings.

We parked our car and headed out on foot, determined to see as much as the day and our feet and legs would allow. The National Mall is America’s most visited national park, where the past, present and future come together. The monuments and memorials in this park honor our American forefathers and heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to this country. The history and legacy represented by these magnificent buildings and monuments is humbling and inspiring.

Our first stop was the Federal Trade Building, showcasing the famous sculptures “Man Controlling Trade” created by Michael Lantz. The pictures show one of a pair.

On our way to the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool, we walked through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Fun spot.

Next stop, Washington Monument. There’s no way to capture the essence of this monument with photos, but we tried. When this stunning stone obelisk was completed in 1884, it was the tallest building in the world.

We continued our trek with a stop at the World War II Memorial. The pool is surrounded by 50 pillars, one for each state. Sobering history reflected here.

Next stop, the Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial stands at the west end of the National Mall and is a monument built in honor of our 16th president. The Memorial is visited by millions every year and is the site of many public gatherings and protests. I’ve seen it many times in photographs over the years, but it is a very different experience to be there.

Walking the Mall and taking it all in.

Next stop, Martin Luther King Memorial. Such a special place, with many of his famous quotes engraved on the walls of the memorial. What a remarkable man! His courage, wisdom and passion changed the course of history. My favorite Martin Luther King quote is inscribed on one of the walls: “Darkness can not drive out darkness, only light can do that. We can not drive out hate, only love can do that”. I love this quote for lots of reasons, but mostly because it reminds me of Mom, always admonishing us that love is the only answer.

Next, the Franklin Roosevelt Memorial, our first and only president to win a record four elections. His presidency is best remembered by the Great Depression, the New Deal Coalition, and then World War II, which ended shortly after he died in office. Although he avoided being seen in public in a wheelchair, he spent the majority of his adult life paralyzed from the waist down. He could walk with assistance, so would show up in public supported by his sons or aides.

Next stop, Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Unfortunately, the memorial was under construction, but we were able to go in and take a few pictures. Thomas Jefferson has always been a fascinating study for me. He was a man far beyond his time in terms of his fight for equality and justice for all, but his personal life reveals unrelenting conflicts.

Although we had only scratched the surface of things to see, the day was getting on, and we were starting to flag. Our trusty Garmins were telling us we had logged 20,000 steps which is close to 10 miles, and we had a half marathon to run the next day. We trudged the 1.4 miles back to the parking garage, picked up our car, and headed out to find something to eat and check out the race site.

Our drive took us down the George Washington Memorial Parkway, one of the most beautiful stretches of road we’ve driven in a long while. Everything was lush and brilliantly green, flowering trees spotted the countryside, and the Potomac River flowed right next to the road. What a treat! We found Carderock Recreation Area after several miscues, but there were no restaurants in the area, and time was marching on. We put a random restaurant in our phones and drove to a little bistro called “The Union”. Our very late lunch was a bowl of soup and a salad, but it served the purpose.

We stopped at a grocery store on the way back to the hotel and picked up some food for breakfast and a “healthy” pizza for a late dinner that night. What both of us had failed to notice is although we had a small kitchen in the room, it did not include an oven. One of the cardinal rules for running a half marathon is to ensure you eat properly the day before. We knew we were light on calories for the day; we needed to eat that pizza. So, two grown-up women put the pizza on the burner with a pan over the top to hold in the heat and tried to cook it. Nothing was happening at first, so I encouraged Melodie to turn it up, which she obediently did. Within minutes the entire suite was filled with the acrid smell of burnt pizza crust. We pulled it off and put it in the microwave to finish cooking the toppings, but the deed was done. We tried to eat it. Honestly. It was not edible. So, we sat in our smelly hotel room and downed a bag of Skinny Popcorn and a few mixed nuts. Not our finest moment.

Race morning rolled around. It always does, no matter if you ate properly the day before, or walked too many miles, it’s still going to happen. We got up at 6:30, ate our breakfast of granola, yogurt, nuts and berries and headed to Carderock. The weather was predicted to be pretty perfect. 60 at race time with no rain, although the humidity was high. After our Ohio experience, we were very appreciative.

As I mentioned earlier, this race organization puts on a lot of races and doesn’t expend a lot of time or money on frills. Fees are minimal, and most of it goes to local charities. There were no porta potties, just the restrooms in the park, and packet pickup was done under a small canopy just a few feet from the start. Aid stations were water coolers, and miles were not marked. Runners were sent in waves to avoid crowding, so we ended up assigned to different start times. The area was beautiful, and the trail lovely for running, so it was easy to see how they were able to minimize all the typical race prep.

And we were off….Melodie first by a few minutes, and then me. The first half of the race was top 10; gorgeous weather, breathtaking scenery, and a great trail. I even managed to take a few pictures, although Melodie, as usual, takes the time to get the great ones.

This race ended up having every element possible from great energy and a sparking pace to mind-numbing fatigue, stomach distress, leg cramps, and heat. We’ve found that races are much like life; embrace the amazing, push through the ordinary, and hang on as best you can when things get tough. We both finished with respectable times, but most importantly were still upright and smiling. We have a few war stories from this one, but that’s part of the journey. We discovered later we were the only women in our age group, this was a young, athletic pack of runners for the most part.

The rest of the day followed a very typical pattern. We headed back to our hotel, rolled and stretched our sore and tired muscles, showered, and then focused on finding a place to eat. Parking was such an issue in downtown Bethesda that we decided to walk. Unfortunately, the first two places on our list turned out to be either closed or not what we were after, so we walked far longer than we intended on our post-race legs. However, our efforts were eventually rewarded and we found the perfect restaurant for us called True Food; lots of good, healthy food choices, and a blessed place to sit and relax.

We had a few hours left on Sunday for sightseeing, so we decided to drive to Arlington and visit the National Cemetery. Unfortunately, when we arrived we found that it was closed to visitors on Sunday. A bit disappointed, we drove further up the hill and visited the Air Force Memorial instead. It turned out to be a worthwhile stop, plus gave us a great vantage point for taking photos of the area.

We headed back to our hotel, ate leftovers for dinner, and packed in preparation for an early flight the next morning. We were on the road by 7:00 am, and arrived at BWI in plenty of time to turn in our car and grab some food for the long flight. Melodie was headed to Phoenix for a few days to be with her daughter and family who were there on vacation, so we were able to complete the trip together.

Our trip was full of so many things, from the ridiculous to the sublime. We are so appreciative of the moments that give our lives richness and texture, and for the opportunity and ability to pursue our interests and goals together. We feel blessed.

Next stop, Nashotah Park, Wisconsin. And this time, all 5 sisters will be on board!

Posted in Running the 50 states | Tagged Fifty States, Half Marathons, Running, travel | Leave a comment